The nerazzurri closed the practice with two goals in the first minutes and the flash of the Argentinian in the final. Pasalic and Onana’s own goal are not enough for Gasp
Inter gain access to the next Champions League by beating Atalanta with the same score as in the first leg (3-2) and go to sleep in second place in the standings. Saturday’s match in Turin against the grenades will be a formality, or little more, for Inzaghi who as early as this week will be able to start preparing for the Champions League final on 10 June. A nice advantage over Guardiola who is expected in the FA Cup final against Manchester United on Saturday. The success on the Dea is clear and confirms that D’Ambrosio and his companions are going through an excellent moment. The fatigue of the victory in the Italian Cup is not felt because Lukaku, initially rested at the Olimpico, is a cyclone: Big Rom seems to be the one of the golden days between goals, shores and assists. If the anti-City offensive couple seemed already decided given the choices of the last three months in the Champions League (Dzeko-Lautaro always owners), now the Belgian is putting a lot of doubts with his performances on the former Lazio coach: in the last 6 appearances in Romelu championship has 7 centres. In general, however, it is all of Inter that works, who are good at overwhelming the Goddess, at containing the return of Gasperini’s men and then at closing the confrontation in a second half in which the guests kick (scoring…) towards Onana’s door only in recovery. A significant figure in view of the face to face with Pep.
Fury between
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Inzaghi changes only three men compared to the victorious Italian Cup final on Wednesday (Onana for Handanovic, D’Ambrosio for Darmian and Lukaku for Dzeko) and the choice proves to be spot on: Inter are not tired and indeed rabidly hungry to close the qualification speech for the next Champions League. After 40 seconds the Nerazzurri made it 1-0 with Lukaku checking a pass from Bastoni in mid-field before asking Lautaro for a “long” triangle: the Belgian only appeared in front of Sportiello, jumped him and deposited the ball in the back to the network. It looks like a training goal, one of those scored in a drill without opponents. Despite the fifteen-minute typhus strike at the Curva Nord, San Siro explodes. That Inter is a tide that the Goddess, unbalanced and tactically reckless, is unable to contain. Gasperini plays in the same way as always, that is with full-field duels, pressing right into the opposing area with many men, but thus leaving inconceivable spaces for a Serie A match between two great formations. Two minutes after the advantage comes the doubling: a change of play by Lautaro is enough to arm Dimarco’s left foot twice (Maehle is terrible in coverage), Sportiello rejects on both occasions, but can do nothing on Barella’s volley bag at the crossroads of the posts. Atalanta plays with a 3-3-3-1 formation, but only De Roon is in front of the defense because the other midfielder (Ederson) presses and ends up on the left in the line of three behind Hojlund (Koopmeiners and Pasalic the other two ). For the landlords, who dribble well thanks to Onana’s skill with his feet, Brozovic’s lucidity and good forward movements, there are prairies that are not exploited due to “details”: Calhanoglu’s 3-0 it was disallowed for offside, while Sportiello first lifted a free-kick from Dimarco for a corner and then blocked a shot from Lukaku.
Pasalic shortens
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The guests show up for the first time in the 23rd minute with a shot by Hojlund, countered by the Cameroonian, then gradually become more dangerous. Not because tactically they change anything, but because Inter moves the center of gravity back, thinking more about managing than sinking in an angry way like in the first minutes. The Goddess thus finds the crux of the matter, continues to advance many men and, after having touched the 2-1 with Koopmeiners (Onana lifts on the crossbar) and Scalvini (header just wide), finds it on the developments of a kick from corner with Pasalic. The Croatian’s goal reopens the match and, even if Calhanoglu nearly makes it 3-1, Inter understand that it won’t be a walk towards glory. Also because before the interval Toloi and his teammates go one step away from 2-2 with a cross from the right that is narrowly deflected into the net by Scalvini and Ederson.
Lautaro closes
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The second half begins as the first half ended, that is with Atalanta holding the ball, moving it in search of space and the hosts squashing themselves in their own half of the pitch waiting for the “right” restart. Like the one in the 7th minute when Barella widens for Lukaku, good at finding Lautaro in the center of the area: a volley from Toro with a providential deviation for a corner by Toloi. Two minutes later Big Rom was still looking for the Argentine who didn’t arrive due to the winning deflection, while it was Sportiello who said no to Calhanoglu’s shot from outside. Gasperini changes by inserting Lookman in Pasalic’s place to give fresh strength to the attack, while Inzaghi keeps Lukaku in the field who sometimes misses the support for his teammates, but is a point of reference for the maneuver as in the seasons with Conte on the bench. With Muriel the Goddess becomes even more offensive traction because she understands that the opposing defensive line is lower and wants to try to put them in difficulty, but underestimates the knockout blow that comes thanks to a great play by Lukaku: the Belgian defends the ball in mid field and then holes it for Brozovic who gives Lautaro the 28th goal of the season, that of 3-1. He begins the whirlwind of substitutions with Dzeko, De Vrij, Asllani and Darmian thrown into the fray. Atalanta tries and with the first shot towards goal they find the 3-2 by Muriel in the 46th minute, with a decisive deflection by Onana after hitting the crossbar. Too late. San Siro is already celebrating Inter.
May 27, 2023 (change May 28, 2023 | 01:46)
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